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Monday, September 21, 2009

Housekeeping Welcome to 2006

Posted by Anthony Hecht on Mon, Sep 21, 2009 at 9:36 AM

Remember how we used to not even have login around here? Holy shit! Anybody could just stroll on in and post whatever they wanted—it was mayhem! Threats to abandon Slog forever abounded.

Then we added registration and all was sunshine and kitten showers.

Still, something was missing. I'm sure we're all familiar with this scenario:

You're reading the reasoned and enlightened comments of your favorite level-headed registered commenter, and you get a bit hungry. Someone with such well thought-out opinions on health care, architecture, and the Blue Angels surely knows a thing or two about Pad Thai, right?. But how to find out? Google? Painstakingly searching through thousands of restaurant reviews looking for their name? No! Not good.

Well, as of right now-ish, you can just click their name and go to their MyStrangerFace profile. There you will learn what restaurants they've reviewed, which other threads they're enlightening all over, and which side they take in the ancient 'tushy' vs. 'tuchus' debate. Useful!

What do we call this thing?

Your personal profile will automatically aggregate your comments and reviews, and also gives you space to write a bio or manifesto, add links to your favorite sites, pull in your Twitter or Flickr feed, and tell the world about yourself by completing our peer-reviewed personality test.

Of course, you can choose not to do any of this crap, if you're against it for religious or dietary or curmudgeonly reasons.

This first version of the profiles is just a start. Version 1.0, as they say. Did I say "Beta"? It's that, too. We'll be adding lots of super-awesome features to the profiles in the coming weeks and months. All will be riddled with software bugs and poor design choices, and we're relying on you to let us know all about those.

I'll get you started: "Hey dumbass! Don't start pushing out new code after noon on a Friday! Will you never learn?" Answer: No, apparently we will not.

Already a registered member? Check out your profile now. Still hiding behind those anonymous posts and want to get in on the fun? Create an account here.

Comments (33) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

Will Questionland be joined with this?

Posted by Sarah on September 21, 2009 at 9:53 AM

I found this over the weekend and it's fun, but the automatic sizing on the image/avatar feature cropped the head off my image, and I couldn't fix it. That was a pain.

Also, most of us would like more than two choices on which Mudede post we think is most fatuous and annoying. For the record, I'm still shaking my head over his freakout on the sexy pregnant woman.

Posted by attitude devant on September 21, 2009 at 9:57 AM

I don't even care what this does, I spent a minute cracking up at the name...

Posted by The CHZA on September 21, 2009 at 10:12 AM

why is this a place for Canadians? after watching good morning america and hearing how these people lost their kids for a month because a Walmart worker reported them to CPS for taking pictures of their kids in the bathtub, i'm revisiting the decision to stay in this country after last november's election. It's still fubar down here.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-logan-l…

Posted by left coast on September 21, 2009 at 10:16 AM

When are you going to get rid of anonymous commenting completely? It adds zero to the ambiance of Slog.

Posted by Meags on September 21, 2009 at 10:23 AM

You people have way too much time on your hands.

Posted by Fifty-Two-Eighty

on September 21, 2009 at 10:24 AM

I actually found a decent way to aggregate someone's comments (at least from the last year) via Google:

http://www.google.com/search?q=%22Commen…

(That is, search slog.thestranger.com for pages containing "Comment by ...", in the last year, sort by date. "tbo=s" gives you the menu on the left side to change the parameters)

I'll have to just update the script to point to these pages.

Posted by w7ngman

on September 21, 2009 at 10:29 AM

This is pretty awesome, Anthony. Nice work.

Posted by w7ngman

on September 21, 2009 at 10:41 AM

@5 I beg to differ. Some of the anonymous commenters here are some of the most insightful comments lately.

Some folks might not agree with their politics, but they have been accurate, thought pondering, and poignant in their assessments.

Some registered SLOG commenters would do well to take a few lessons...

Posted by Reality Check

on September 21, 2009 at 10:42 AM

@9 I'm sure all of those wonderful people to whom you are referring will be more than happy to register if the anonymous commenting option is removed.

Quite frankly I wouldn't mind losing some of the insightful anonymous commenters if meant less "You're a fat cunt! posted by...Seriously, lose some weight"

Posted by Meags on September 21, 2009 at 10:47 AM

Really stupid question: Can we have more than one profile?

Cause sometimes people have personae.

Be glad to see anonymouse go away.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on September 21, 2009 at 10:57 AM

Jesus. It has everything I ever wrote. It just goes on and on. I need to get a life. After this one last comment.

Posted by gloomy gus on September 21, 2009 at 10:59 AM

#10 why don't you just click the "UNREGISTERED" button up there under the green bar?

Posted by w7ngman

on September 21, 2009 at 11:04 AM

Excellent. Well done, Mr. Hecht. But I can't help wondering why the "hide this activity" button is necessary. It kind of removes the accountability registering provides.

Posted by kitschnsync on September 21, 2009 at 11:05 AM

Next invention from the last century that the Stranger might implement, threaded forums and a watched conversations feature.

Posted by SchmuckyTheCat on September 21, 2009 at 11:05 AM

Gus @12: Yeah, that freaked me out for a minute too, until I realized that it was all out there anyway. It was just a little harder to find before.

Posted by Fifty-Two-Eighty

on September 21, 2009 at 11:07 AM

@13 I know that feature exists, but I'm talking about the principle of the thing. The existence of trolling is my problem, you see. And now I have to go take a nap because really. This is the most boring conversation that I have ever broached.

Posted by Meags on September 21, 2009 at 11:21 AM

I like reading the unregistered comment trolls. They're often short, witty, and if you get tired of them you can always just hide them from view.

Posted by Urgutha Forka on September 21, 2009 at 11:21 AM

Your FLickr thing ain't working right. It links to my photostream, but it displays photos from someone else's account.

Posted by King Rat

on September 21, 2009 at 11:22 AM

This'll make stalking the commenters SO much easier.

Posted by Creepy Lurker on September 21, 2009 at 11:47 AM

For a really good time, go read all of Lord Basil's comments. Hours of mirth!

Posted by NaFun

on September 21, 2009 at 12:01 PM

@20 - yeah, you DO need to get a life.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on September 21, 2009 at 12:30 PM

Andrew: For your next project, maybe you can explain why the RSS feed says it's 6:39 in the morning right now.

Posted by Fifty-Two-Eighty

on September 21, 2009 at 12:39 PM

Great idea gets better! I have been so happy ever since Slog allowed users to filter out the unregistered idiot trolls. I mean if you don't have the balls to register then why in the hell should I pay attention to you?

Posted by Senor Guy on September 21, 2009 at 12:43 PM

Can I get a filter for Will in Seattle?

Posted by Unregistered Idiot Troll on September 21, 2009 at 12:47 PM

Hey Fifty-Two-Eighty,

I want to read your manifesto.

Posted by kim in portland

on September 21, 2009 at 1:12 PM

Yeah, I guess you could still read while you're all tied up in a tight little ball and gagged. It would give you something to do to pass the time. Come on over and I'll see what I can arrange.

Posted by Fifty-Two-Eighty

on September 21, 2009 at 1:21 PM

Fifty-Two-Eighty,

I'm so glad you know how to dream.

Posted by kim in portland

on September 21, 2009 at 2:01 PM

Aw, come on, admit it - you love my dirty little mind.

Posted by Fifty-Two-Eighty

on September 21, 2009 at 2:12 PM

#23 That isn't the feed, it's your feed reader

#25 Click my website link

Posted by w7ngman

on September 21, 2009 at 2:26 PM

Fifty-Two-Eighty,

You're a flirt and your dirty little mind is part of your charm. Happy dreams.

Posted by kim in portland

on September 21, 2009 at 3:10 PM

I like that I can look back through my comments and get a sense of my first impressions of news stories. It helps me track the development of my opinions about the mayoral candidates, for example.

Aside from all that self-reflective business, it will be a fun tool to communicate with people. And best of all it doesn't require me to do anything other than what I was already doing--talk shit every once in a while. I suppose I'll have to make it to a slog happy when I get back to Seattle.

Thanks.

Posted by aff on September 21, 2009 at 7:43 PM